Act Now to Enhance Diversity of Ideas

Not too long ago, a Red Team editor made an eloquent argument for
political diversity on college campuses. I applaud the goal of
diversity of ideas, and I don’t want to see this important point get
lost - particularly since there appears to be second, unremarked
subclass of America that also lacks diversity.

As we become increasingly distracted by social security, Abu
Ghraib, Armstrong Williams, and the NFL playoffs, let us not forget
the recent
academic study which shows that in six academic fields, including
anthropology and sociology, there are actually more liberals than
conservatives. The study begins with a reference to an article
poignantly entitled "Lonely Campus Voices" about the plight of
"isolated conservatives" in a "hostile" world. Now, I've been reading
a lot about tsunami and mudslide victims, but they honestly don't
compare with the tragedy of an isolated, lonely, tenured anthropology
professor who can't talk politics to his colleagues.

Since Jack's column, I've been doing some reading. Horrible to tell,
this is not the only strata of our society that lacks political
diversity! The 2004 election exit
polls show that two out three of those earning
$200,000/year or more voted Republican - a shocking, shocking lack of
diversity.

Now, some of you will say, sure, that's not because of their personal
convictions - it's because they're making out like bandits due to
Bush's tax cuts. However, this hypothesis doesn't hold up to close
examination. An informal survey I conducted on several high-income
people revealed that none supported lower taxes on the wealthy
for reasons of personal gain: invariably, they either supported lower
taxes for philosophical reasons, or else just refused to answer the
phone.

Others will say, ah, but what about the "liberal elite"? Sadly, like
the California Condor, they are written about more than they are
actually encountered. Though Google finds almost 10x more pages on
the "liberal elite" than the "conservative elite", the liberal elite
appears to be rather rare, from the exit polls.

In summary, there seems to be a second, unrecognized subclass of
America in which new lonely, isolated souls are trapped in sea of
political monoculture - the subclass of the very rich. Arguably,
these people are even more important, culturally and
economically, than anthropologists. But don't fear - I have a plan to
help encourage diversity among the rich, and fight this Imminent
Crisis!

If you are conservative, simply send as much money as you can afford to spare to me. I
will collect it and give it to fund a few deserving true-Blue
liberals, and lift them into the $200k income bracket. It may be hard
to find liberals willing to suffer the loneliness and hostility, but I
know a few brave, unselfish souls that are willing. Astonishing, yes. But some people will do anything for diversity.
Posted by William Cohen at January 16, 2005 3:35 PM